East Sumba’s dry and rocky terrain stands in stark contrast to much of Indonesia’s lush tropical scenery. The naturally arid land has been hit by increasing climate variability and this, combined with high poverty levels, has resulted in chronic food insecurity for the district’s population. ACTED undertook a rapid assessment in July, visiting some of the most rural areas to assess communities’ needs as they struggle to adapt to a changing climate.

Every household in the remote sub-districts of Lewa and Lewa Tidahu has a similar story to tell: when the rains failed again this year, so did most - if not all - of their crops. Tucked away in the hills along East Sumba’s far western boundary these villages rely exclusively on rainwater for crop irrigation. But climate change is causing rain patterns to shift and rainfall is becoming sporadic, with drought in the rainy season and occasional downpours in the dry season wreaking havoc with farmers’ planting calendars. What should be wet green rice paddies are now instead vast dried fields of compacted earth and weeds The related increase in pest outbreaks has desecrated the few hectares of land that were cultivated. It is a slow but emerging crisis for local communities dependent on agriculture for both subsistence and income.

Remote and forgotten communities

East Sumba is situated on a vast and little-developed island in the centre of the Indonesian archipelago. Difficult access and the context of nearby conflict-afflicted East Timor has meant that international aid has all but eclipsed its population of nearly a quarter of a million. Official statistics point to poverty rates of almost 77%, child malnutrition rates are “serious” and life expectancy is only 61 years - a decade below the national average.

Isolation due to poor road access and infrastructure compounds these problems in Lewa and Lewa Tidahu. However, the assessment revealed that further from the desiccated fields and the dried-up rainwater wells, natural water sources abound in the nearby hills. Yet without the means to channel the water to where it is needed this potential remains untapped, leaving harvests to fail and many families to walk up to 3 kilometers to collect spring water.

Assessing opportunities for a sustainable response

Whilst some families eke out an existence by growing small amounts of cassava, others were found to be foraging for “iwi” – a poisonous forest potato that that must be cooked for hours to reduce its toxins. The most vulnerable families receive intermittent rice rations from external sources. However, this kind of response is not only limited, but unsustainable. It risks creating dependencies on external aid rather than empowering communities to withstand shocks. This fosters a cycle of ever increasing vulnerability, with the resilience of families decreasing year on year, as they sell off assets such as livestock for food, which they are unable to replace.

ACTED’s assessment sets the groundwork for an integrated intervention strategy to be formulated. By drawing on past experience in development of agricultural livelihoods and disaster risk reduction capacity building in Indonesia, ACTED has the local knowledge and expertise to design solutions to help alleviate both local poverty and the effects of climate change in these two communities. The assessment provides the information necessary to address several drivers of food insecurity at once to bring a sustainable resolution to challenges currently faced by the people of Lewa and Lewa Tidahu.